How do I use 1 printer in my home with several networked pc's?

Question

If anyone knows how to do this PLEASE explain to me how to set this up. I would truly appreciate anyone's help who could walk me through the steps. I already have the printer and driver software installed on the main computer in the network. I'm assuming that I would need to install the printer driver on all the other computers computers first, is this correct? Thanks in advance for your help. I promise I will choose the best answer so you will get points.

Answer 1

(All on the computer connected to the PC)
First of all if you are using windows PC's you are going to need to work with the firewalls that are set up on your computer. Here are the steps to share your printer through windows XP.
Click START - Click either Printers and Faxes (or if you have your toolbar setup in classic mode it would be under Settings - Printers and Faxes) - Then there should be an array of your printers. Right Click on the one you want to share and select "sharing..." and you can go from there. Keep in mind that if you can't connect you printer directly to the router you need to keep the computer with the printer connected to it on. Then go to a remote computer to check to see if your printer is up or not. On the remote computer get into Microsoft word or something then go to File - Print - Find Printer - Then you should see a network which you want to click on and click around in until you find the printer. Mine's under MSHome. If it doesn't show up you should go back to the computer to the printer hooked up to it you should shut all your firewalls off. If that doesn't work I don't know what to tell you. I would consult Kim Comando lol hope this helps and i need the points lol.

Answer 2

There are several ways to do this, check your printer manual first. It should tell you how to do it. Many are "network ready" in which case they CAN connect directly to the network rather than a specific computer.

Normally, the EASIEST way, if NOT network ready, is to have a "shared" folder on the one with the printer. Simply send or copy the files to the shared folder, (FULL access), and then print from there.
(This is what I use, because it makes it simpler if you change printers. Only 1 computer to change.)
Also, you already have the printer installed on the computer, so now ALL YOU NEED is a folder! The ONLY disadvantage I know of is that BOTH computers need to be turned on.

In some cases you set the printer to "shared" and load the printer program on each machine.

In others, you have to use "remote" printing through the computer that has the printer installed.

OR you can buy an accessory for your network that allows "direct connection" of the printer to the network.
It is a small "limited application" computer called a "print server". Follow the instructions as to accessing this from the network. It is not complicated.

These options NORMALLY depend on the printer OS more than the computer OS

PS The above listed answer will ALSO work with SOME OS's. They specified windows 95, but 98 and XP are SIMILAR. I still think my way is easier though.

Answer 3

How to setup Printer Sharing on a Network

What's a network without a printer? Sharing your printer among the network computers is a simple process. Follow these steps:

1. The first thing you must do is tell Windows 95 to redirect printing from the LPT1 port to the network queue. To do so, double-click the Printer's icon in Control Panel and then double-click the Add Printers icon.

2. Windows 95 will open Add Printer Wizard, click the Next button

3. Select the Network Printer radio button, and then click Next again.

4. The Add Printer Wizard will ask you to provide the path to the network printer. Enter it in the format: \\computer name\share name where computername is the name of the computer to which the printer is physically attached, and sharename is the share name that you've assigned to the printer.

5. The Add Printer Wizard also asks if you print from MS-DOS-based programs. Click the YES radio button, and then click the Next button.

6. In the Add Printer Wizard's next dialog box, select the type of printer you're trying to capture by selecting the printer's manufacturer from the Manufacturer's list and choosing the printer model from the Printer's list.

7. Click the Next button to continue.

8. At this point, the Add Printer Wizard will ask you to assign a name to the printer. This name isn't the same as the printer's share name. Instead, it's the name that your local PC will use, and it will appear under the printer's icon (title) and in any Select Printer windows.

9. When it finishes copying the printer drivers to your hard drive, it will create an icon for the printer. You can now print to the printer in exactly the same way that you would if it were physically attached to your PC.